About Blake Shaw

I am a photographer based in San Diego. I now specialize in bird photography, but also regularly photograph scenes of Mexico, Route 66, tennis, bicycle racing, flowers, and people. My work hangs in galleries in San Diego and elsewhere, and I am available for slide shows, lectures, and exhibitions.

March 29, 2016

March 28, 2016

Among the thrashers found in the Southwest United States is Bendire's Thrasher. Though found more in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, it can be found in Joshua Tree National Park. It was one of the birds I most wanted to see during my day-long visit two weeks ago.

On my third stop of the day, at the southern entrance to the park, I heard the song of a thrasher. I quickly realized it was a Northern Mockingbird. I then heard a different thrasher song, and through my binoculars I spotted a Bendire's Thrasher! The bird was establishing its territory, going from the top of bush to bush, singing its long, drawn-out song (like a scratchy mockingbird's).

Bendire was a 19th Century ornithologist whose collection of bird eggs still resides in the Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. He did not describe this bird, but another ornithologist named it after him.

March 25, 2016

March 24, 2016

The Pinyon Jay is not found in San Diego, and I have only seen them once before in my travels through their range, but only from far away. During my day trip to Joshua Tree last week, the Pinyon Jay was one of three or four birds I most wanted to see and photograph.

I spent the late afternoon at Black Rock campground, which was full of birds busy eating insects attracted to the flowering Joshua Trees and yucca plants. I noticed a flock of blue birds making its way through the campground. I quickly realized that they were Pinyon Jays!

I spent the next ten minutes walking quickly uphill, trying to get to where the sun was at my back for better lighting. As they were moving up the hill in a wave-like motion, it was a bit of a challenge, but finally I found myself in a decent position to take a few photos.